Conventionally, a method has widely been used in which a scalp and the hiar and an inner surface of a wig base are fixed to each other by means of adhesive, adhesive double-coated tapes or the like, in order to prevent turning-up, distortion and so on of the wig base. In this method, however, wearing and detachment of the wig have been extremely troublesome. In addition, the use of the wig has been accompanied with unpleasant feeling. Particularly, if the adhesive double-coated tapes are employed, several attachments and detachments of the wig have weakened the adhesive strength of the adhesive double-coated tapes. Therefore, it has been required to replace the adhesive double-coated tapes frequently.
In view of the above, there is a wig in which a shape retaining element made of an elongated metal element such as a wire or the like or a metal plate is arranged along a curved configuration of a wig base at a part thereof tending to be turned up such as, for example, a forehead section, each sideburns section, a nape section or the like. When the wig is worn, the shape retaining element is curved with hands, whereby the wig base is fitted to a head contour of a user.
However, the wig provided with such shape retaining element has had the following problems. That is, since, at attachment and detachment of the wig, the shape retaining element is inevitably deformed so as to be curved toward the outside and the inside, repeated use of the wig causes the shape retaining element to be deformed into a corrugated configuration, making it impossible to restore the shape retaining element to the original smooth configuration. If the shape retaining element is arranged on the wig base while the shape retaining element presents the corrugated configuration, the fit feeling of the wig is marred conversely. In addition, for example, the forward end of each sideburns section, the forehead section, the nape section of the like of the wig is floated up in a corrugated fashion by the shape retaining element.
On the other hand, a wig, which utilizes a shape memory alloy as the shape retaining element, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-215003. The patent publication describes as follows. That is, according to this technique, a shape memory alloy, in which its shape is beforehand stored into such a curved configuration as to be brought into close contact with the head, is arranged on the wig base. With the arrangement, when the wig is attached, the wig can be worn in close contact with the head under the shape restoring action and the super elastic action of the shape memory alloy. Further, even if washing of the hair of the wig is repeated, the wig does not get out of shape. That is, the technique is such that, even if the shape memory alloy is suitably deformed at the ordinary temperature before the wig is worn on the head, the shape memory alloy is restored to the stored shape under the influence of the bodily temperature after the wig has been worn, so that the wig is brought into conformity with the head. The technique attempts to improve fit feeling during wearing of the wig.
However, the contour of the head differs from person to person, and the curved configuration of the head does not depict a smooth curved surface, but is normally curved convexly while presenting slight undulation. Accordingly, it is practically impossible to control the processing of shape memory into a curved configuration which is precisely in conformity with each user's head contour. By this reason, if the shape memory alloy is arranged at the peripheral edge of the wig base along the hairline of each sideburns section, the forehead section or the like, restoring to the stored shape causes the hairline to be floated up from the scalp, depending upon the part, to form a gap, so that the hairline becomes unnatural. Further, if, although accidental, shape memory processing of the shape memory alloy can be effected into a curved configuration accurately in conformity with the head contour of the user, the following problem arises. That is, when this processing is to be effected, a head contour mold of each user must individually be manufactured, and it is required to use the mold to store the shape in the shape memory alloy at high temperature of 400 to 600.degree. C. Accordingly, the expensive head contour mold of each user must be manufactured each time, so that the manufacturing cost of the shape retaining element increases extremely. Further, the head is always tightened under the super elastic action of the shape memory alloy during a period for which the wig is worn. This results in stiffness and headache so that the wearing of the wig is accompanied with unpleasant feeling.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a wig in which, if repeated use of the wig causes a shape memory element to be deformed into a corrugated configuration, the wig is immersed in hot water, or hot air is applied to the wig by a drier or the like, whereby the deformation can easily be rectified, making it possible to obtain fit feeling of the wig for a long period of time and to prevent turning-up of a wig base.